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Did India and Pakistan women's captains shake hands? Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana meet at Women's T20 World Cup 2026 toss originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- The no-handshake policy between Indian and Pakistani cricketers has been in place since the 2025 Asia Cup, following the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor.
- Harmanpreet Kaur deflected the handshake question at the pre-match press conference, saying the team only talks about cricket.
- India leads Pakistan 13-3 in T20Is and 6-2 in Women's T20 World Cup matches specifically.
Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana meet at the Women's T20 World Cup 2026 toss
India and Pakistan met in the Women's T20 World Cup 2026 opener at Edgbaston on Sunday, June 14, with Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana walking out to the toss under the Birmingham lights. As has been the case in every India-Pakistan cricket fixture since the 2025 Asia Cup, the question of the customary pre-match handshake dominated the build-up as much as the cricket itself.
MORE:India women's vs Pakistan women's head-to-head record: Who has won more matches in T20Is, ODIs and ICC World Cups?
Did Harmanpreet Kaur and Fatima Sana shake hands at the toss?
No, Harmanpreet Kaur did not shake hands with Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana, as India continues its no-handshake policy.
Ever since Suryakumar Yadav's men's side declined to shake hands with Pakistan players during the 2025 Asia Cup in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and India's Operation Sindoor military response, the no-handshake policy has been applied consistently across every India-Pakistan cricket meeting.
It was observed at the Women's ODI World Cup 2025 in Colombo, the U19 World Cup, the Rising Stars Asia Cup, and the Men's T20 World Cup 2026, with the same stance expected at the Women's T20 World Cup.
On the eve of the fixture, Harmanpreet Kaur was asked directly about the handshake situation and whether the BCCI had communicated anything ahead of Sunday's match. Her response was a masterclass in diplomatic deflection.
"Well, I think we are here for cricket, and we only talk about cricket; except for cricket, we don't talk about anything, and I don't even think about anything except cricket. Cricket has been our dream from day one, and we only talk about it. For tomorrow's game, we are thinking of it as just another game we are going to play," Harmanpreet told reporters.
MORE:IND vs PAK Women's T20 World Cup 2026 umpires: Full list of match officials for India-Pakistan clash at Edgbaston
The Cricket News Opinion: India remains a favourite despite rivalry pressure
India arrives as firm favorites, leading 13-3 in T20Is against Pakistan and 6-2 in Women's T20 World Cup fixtures specifically. Harmanpreet was honest about the pressure the fixture brings, while framing it as something to be embraced rather than feared.
"I won't say there's no pressure; there is pressure. Since I started watching cricket, as a supporter I have felt that pressure, and now that we play it, it's even more," Kaur mentioned. "But at the same time we always say that the more we enjoy this game, the better it is for us, because we are the lucky ones who are picked for this big occasion, and we just want to enjoy ourselves on the field," she said.
"I think, more than anything, it is another game we are going to play tomorrow, and we just want to play our best cricket," Harmanpreet added.
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